(Prior Art 1)
Conventionally, a heat accumulating device is known in which hot heat or cold heat from a heat source device is accumulated in a heat accumulation tank by a heat medium, and hot heat or cold heat accumulated in the heat accumulation tank is supplied via the heat medium to a load unit that utilizes hot heat or cold heat (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
Claim 1 of Patent Literature 1 describes
“a heat accumulating device comprising: a heat accumulation tank which accommodates a heat accumulator formed by sealing in a capsule a heat accumulating material which accumulates heat by utilizing a latent heat, thereby accumulating hot heat or cold heat; a heat-receiving heat medium supply path which supplies a heat medium having hot heat or cold heat, from a heat source unit to the heat accumulation tank; a heat-supplying heat medium supply path which supplies hot heat or cold heat from the heat accumulation tank to a load unit through the heat medium; a heat medium bypass circulation path configured to flow the heat medium into the heat accumulation tank in a direction coinciding with a direction in which the heat medium, flowing to the load unit through the heat-supplying heat medium supply path, flows inside the heat accumulation tank, and to flow the heat medium by bypassing the load unit; and a heat medium circulating pump unit provided to the heat medium bypass circulation path.” According to Patent Literature 1, this heat accumulating device achieves improvement in heat transfer of the heat accumulator and heat medium in the heat accumulation tank and decrease in temperature of the heat medium flowing into the heat accumulation tank simultaneously. As a result, according to Patent Literature 1, a large quantity of heat may be supplied per unit time to the load unit without operating a heat source device.
(Prior Art 2)
A heat accumulation system is conventionally known which includes a plurality of heat accumulation tanks for accumulating, according to usages, heat media heated by a heat source, and a heat exchange means, for exchanging heat among the plurality of heat accumulation tanks (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).
According to Patent Literature 2, as in its abstract,
“a room-heating heat accumulation tank and a heat source are connected to each other via a circulation circuit, and room-heating hot water from the heat source is stored in the room-heating heat accumulation tank. The circulation circuit is connected to a room-heating circuit mounted with a heat radiator, and room heating is performed using the room-heating hot water from the room-heating heat accumulation tank. The circulation circuit is connected to a hot-water-supplying heat exchange circuit mounted with a hot-water-supplying heat exchanger, and a bathtub heat exchange circuit mounted with a bathtub heat exchanger. The hot-water-supplying heat exchanger is connected to a hot-water-supplying circulation circuit mounted with a hot-water accumulation tank, and hot water is reserved in the hot-water-supplying heat accumulation tank. The hot-water-supplying circulation circuit is connected to a hot-water supply circuit, and hot water is supplied. The bathtub heat exchanger is connected to a bathtub circuit, and hot water in a bathtub is heated. When hot-water-supplying hot water in the hot-water-supplying heat accumulation tank is consumed, this shortage is backed up by the heat of the room-heating hot water from the room-heating heat accumulation tank”. According to Patent Literature 2, because of this heat accumulation system, even when heat quantity shortage occurs in individual heat accumulation tanks, the heat quantity may be supplemented by a heat exchange means. Hence, according to Patent Literature 2, an increase in size of the individual heat accumulation tanks may be avoided, so the heat accumulation tanks may be downsized, allowing installation of the heat accumulation system at a narrow place and initial cost reduction.